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Personal info

Full name
STEWART, Robert Charles Jr "Bob"
Date of birth
15 December 1919
Age
24
Place of birth
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Carnegie, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
13087773
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner
Unit
429th Bombardment Squadron,
2nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Died non-Battle
Date of death
7 November 1944
Place of death
Wetzler, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
M 18 17

Immediate family

Members
Robert C. Stewart II (father)
Ella W. (Koontz) Stewart (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31470
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Old Shep
Destination: Blechhammer, German
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery
MACR: 6564

More information

T/Sgt Robert C. Stewart attended high school for 4 years. He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve on 8 July 1942 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

He died on 7 November 1944 in Dulag Luft at Wetzler, Germany from an attack of scarlet fever and a throat infection. During his time in th ePOW camp he worked as a kitchen helper.
The airplane started having engine trouble and lost #1 and #2 engines and had to salvo bombs just before reaching the target. Soon after they were hit by flak and lost #4 engine so they turned and headed for Yugoslavia. They were throwing stuff over to lighten the ship but were still losing altitude after flying for 30 minutes. The pilot gave the order to bail out and they landed near St. Michael, Austria and the entire crew was captured soon after landing.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.fold3.com,- MACR, www.ancestry.com, - 1920/1930/1940 Census, Hammer/Simmons Family Tree, Headstone and Interment Records, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record,

Foto source: Michel Beckers, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-K, Gibbs Field, Texas